


wake me up when the skies are clearing

by starsinoureyes



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: F/M, House Cleaning, One Shot, cutesy things, frat party, i dont' really know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-11
Updated: 2014-06-11
Packaged: 2018-02-04 07:49:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1771339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsinoureyes/pseuds/starsinoureyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ashton lost a bet and his three best friends leave him for the clean-up after. Lana wanted a relaxed and stress-free night and her best friend wanted to leave and drink chocolate milk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	wake me up when the skies are clearing

**Author's Note:**

> This is my very first 5SOS themed one shot.  
> *whispers* but not my first one shot ever. I'm an experienced writer. 
> 
> The story should've gone in a completely different way, but here ya go. This is dedicated to my lovely friend. Sorry I kept you waiting, I'm a shitty friend.

 

You know how this is: 

  
if I look   
at the crystal moon, at the red branch   
of the slow autumn at my window,   
if I touch   
near the fire   
the impalpable ash   
or the wrinkled body of the log,   
everything carries me to you,   
as if everything that exists,   
aromas, light, metals,   
were little boats   
that sail   
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

 

 

 

“Can we go now?” Ivy mumbled next to me in her most obnoxious voice. I rolled my eyes at her and sighed.

“We just got here, Ivy.” I replied, trying to keep my voice neutral so my best friend doesn’t snap at me. I know she hates these kind of things. Big crowd of people, small house and lots of alcohol. It wasn’t really my forte either, but I wanted to get out and enjoy myself. I’ve been stuck in the library and hunched over my textbooks so much I’m scared I’ll grow a hump at such an early age. I need this. Even if it is a cliché frat party and most of these people around us probably don’t even remember how they got here in the first place.

Ivy glared at me and pursed her lips. “Fifteen minutes and I’m going back to our dorm. I mean it Lana.” She looked around as we moved past sweaty bodies in the small hallway. We weren’t exactly sure whose house it was but we knew he was a freshman, trying to impress his colleagues before the summer break. I saw a glass full of unidentified liquid break against the hallway.

Yeah, good luck dude trying to explain this to your parents.

Ivy gripped my hand when we moved past a large group of what was supposed to be football team. Although, freshly faced during matches with deadly grins on their faces they were now sporting half-drunk grimaces and expressing their eternal love to their team mates and basically anyone who walked by.

“Hey, blonde girl!” one of them shouted and I turned around. He smiled widely and raised his glass in the air, spilling half the cup in the process. “You are awesome!”

I smiled and gave him a short salute which he reciprocated sloppily. I followed Ivy again to our destination. The kitchen.

“God, I hope they have juice or something non-alcoholic or I’ll dehydrate.” Ivy said and searched around the mess in the room. There were rows of empty and half-full bottles on the dark granite countertop, red and black plastic cups were scattered around, some squished with few droplets of what is possibly alcohol in them. Other bits of trash – pizza boxes, tissues, glass bottles – were everywhere on the floor. Big black stack of garbage bags was pushed next to the stove. “Dear God, can this be more of a cliché?” Ivy whispered to herself.

“Life is made of clichés, Ivy. Get used to them.” I said with a wide grin and reached for the fridge. I opened it carefully and found a cold beer in it. I quickly got it out and Ivy shook her head at me with a disappointed frown.

“Relax. One beer is nothing. And aren’t we leaving in like fifteen minutes anyway?” I stated and she nodded lightly.

“Yeah. Whatever. If you go too far with this, I’m leaving you here.”

“I love you too.”

Ivy stared at me for few seconds and then resumed looking for a soft drink.

 

Xxx

 

I was feeling a slight buzz in my body and my nerves were completely at ease. I was such a light head, wow. One beer and all my inhibitions lowered. I was still aware of my surroundings and I felt Ivy’s body pressing next to me in one of her ‘That is my song!’ dance sessions. She was actually having a good time at this clichéd frat party. Now we only need an actual frat boy to pick her up and the cliché will be complete.

In one fragment of a second, as I flipped my hair to get it out of my eyes, my gaze fell on a boy standing few feet from us. He was leaned against the wall, turned to a conversation he was having with a slightly taller blond boy. He fixed the bandana on his forehead, pushing some curly strands further back. He was hot. There was no doubt in that. I was certain I was staring at him, when his eyes flicked towards me once and then back to his friend, and then again he looked at me more deliberately and with a small smile on his face. Oh, for fuck’s sake he has dimples.

I quickly turned to Ivy, who was jumping on the spot and singing to a Flo Rida song that was a hit a century ago.

“Ivy! Ivy, darn it! I saw a fit boy!” I yelled in her ear. She stopped jumping and looked at me confusedly.

“You saw a Fitoy? What is that?” she asked. I grabbed her arms and groaned.

“Not a Fitoy, what the fuck is that? I said I saw a fit **boy**!”

“Well, finally something good on this night.” She smirked and looked around my shoulder. “Where is he? How does he look like?” I squeezed her arms to still her and jerked my head slightly to the left.

“There, behind me. He’s wearing the red bandana.” Ivy looked past my shoulder and openly stared. I swear to God, she is the epitome of subtlety. I let out an exasperated sigh. “Would you stop staring?”

She finally looked at me with a small smile. “Ah, he’s alright. Looks a bit like you to be honest. Dimples, dirty blonde hair, big smiley eyes… You’d make a good couple.” She finished her brief observation. “And he’s staring right at us. Act casual.” She whispered and in that moment my body decided to process the only beer I had that night and the buzz left as quickly as it came. I turned around as casually as I could manage, but I probably looked like a manic stalker with a stiff smile on my face and half-comfortable stance. I saw him smiling shyly at me and looking down. I sighed and loosened my posture and give him a more genuine smile. He looked at me through his eyelashes and curled his lips slightly at the ends.  I shrugged and turned back to Ivy.

“Hey, that blond friend of his ain’t that bad.” She said and I chuckled.

“ _Ain’t_? Are we nine year old rap wannabes? What happened to your perfect grammar, Miss English Major?” I asked and pushed her arm teasingly. She pouted.

“My grammar is fine. And that male specimen is fine as well.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at me and I giggled. “Ok, can we go now? You finished your beer, we saw some boys, now let’s go home. I want my chocolate milk.”

“Noooo. My song didn’t come on. We have to stay. Just one song, please?”

Ivy looked at me with pleading eyes. “But…chocolate…milk…my baby…”

“Just marry the chocolate milk already. I swear it is the only thing to get you out of the dorm to go and see boys in Tesco.”

“Is it really my fault that chocolate milk is the only thing that brings me joy lately? Fuck boys.”

“That is the intention, babe.” I smiled and winked at her. She rolled her eyes.

 

Xxx

 

“Ash, seriously man, just go there.”

“Dude, you’ve got nothing to lose.”

“Only my dignity.” I sighed and finished the mix of alcohol Michael gave me. I will never drink anything Michael gives me. That shit goes straight to your brain. “I’m not really in the mood for random hook-ups, boys.”

Calum glued himself from his phone and he looked at me with a furrowed brow. He looked like a confused puppy with glassy eyes. What has he been drinking all night? What have _I_ been drinking all night?

“What if we turn it into a bet?” Michael said from the floor where he was leaning against Luke’s legs on the couch us both occupied. “Make it fun?”

I rolled my eyes. “She is a person Michael, not some prize you get if you behave like a good boy.” Calum offered me almost full bottle of beer and I nudged my plastic cup closer so he could fill it. Was it smart to mix Michael’s weird vodka mix with beer? I’ll learn in the morning.

“Come on, Ashton. You’ve been miserable all week because of the failed World Lit exam and the cancelled gig. And now you’re killing our groove at the party.” Luke said and poked me in the side.

“Groove.” I repeated absentmindedly. Calum chuckled next to me from his bean bag. He was far too tall for the thing so his legs were curled at an awkward angle. He didn’t seem to mind.

“The party we threw to bring you out of your misery.” Michael added and patted my knee. I looked around me. People were dancing around us, drinking whatever was in their reach. Few couples were eating each others faces in corners. Everybody seemed to have so much fun and then there was our little group, silently talking on the couch and shoving Calum’s phone from our faces in his attempts to make Keeks or stupid selfies to show his 7 000 followers on Twitter how much fun we’re having. Most of these people were trying to be his friend. I don’t know how Calum is the most popular one among us four. I mean, yeah we’re in a UNI band and things were going good until last few cancelled gigs but I always thought it’d be either Michael or Luke. Luke is the lead singer and you know. You expect all the clichés that go with being a lead singer in a band. Michael had this punk rock aura, with his random coloured hair and stuff. He was actually a big softie. But others didn’t know that. So, Calum is the popular one.

I can live with that.

What I can’t do is pluck up the courage and dance half-drunk with a girl. Just to forget about everything for a while.

“Will one of you dance with me?” I asked, looking at each of the boys. Luke shook his head, Michael laughed and Calum was glued to his phone again probably missing my question in the first place.

“Ash. Just go and ask someone.” Luke said and put his palms on Michael’s shoulders. “There is a ton of girls here who won’t mind your awkward dancing.”

“I don’t dance awkwardly.” I protested and put down my plastic cup. Enough alcohol for me tonight. “I’m a fantastic dancer. I’m half Irish, you know.”

“You’re not.” Calum remarked, not taking his eyes off the phone. “You’re half idiot.” I swatted him on the shoulder. “And you hit like a baby.”

“Seriously, guys. You wanna dance with me?” I asked again. They all shook their heads in unison. “Fine.” After few minutes, I picked up my plastic cup and sipped lazily on the beer. I noticed Luke leaning closer to me.

“That girl is looking at you again.” He whispered into my ear. I turned quickly towards the mass of bodies. There she was, swaying to the rhythm of some remixed club song. That is my type of girl. Black skinny jeans, ripped on the knees, dark blue T-shirt with Teenage Runaway written on the front and uhm boots? In the early summer? The girl is brave if anything. But there is something in the eyes. In the smiles she gives her friend as she sings along with the song. Her friend looked disinterested in everything but she danced with her anyway.

“Hey, guys. You still want to have a bet?” I said and looked toward the blonde girl.

 

Xxx

 

Ivy hugged me unexpectedly on the dance floor. “Can we go now?” I was getting really pissed off at her attitude and constant nagging.

“Ivy, if you don’t want to be here, just go. If I’m such –“ her wide eyes and grip on my shoulder cut me short.

“Lana, that boy is coming over.” She said in a cold voice. I turned around and saw the boy with the bandana coming towards us, a nervous smile on his face.

“He’s probably going somewhere else.” I said and continued to dance but Ivy’s grip remained firm. “Ivy, you’re hurting me. It’s ok.” She dropped her arms but continued to glare somewhere behind me. Then I felt a slight tap on my shoulder. I turned around and met a pair of glassy green-brown eyes. I reciprocated the shy smile that was decorating his face. He put his hand forward for me to shake.

“Ashton.” He said and I shook it.

“Lana.”

He nodded. Then he mumbled something. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I said do you want to, uhm, maybe dance with me?” he bit his lip nervously and I turned to Ivy who was scrutinising Ashton’s every move. I looked at her with pleading eyes to just drop it and let me dance with him. She didn’t acknowledge that and pushed me to the side so she could stand in front of Ashton. Her protectiveness will kill me one day. Or I’ll kill myself because this was very awkward.

“She is taken, buddy. You can go.” Ivy said. She probably thought she looked fierce and intimidating but she looked like an angry dwarf compared to Ashton who looked like a confused and slightly scared giant.

“Doesn’t she have a say in this?” he asked and looked at me. Yes, yes I do, I wanted to say.

“I-“ I started but Ivy grabbed my hand and dragged me away. I hoped a big black hole will appear in the floor to take me because Ivy was getting really difficult again. I knew there was no point in arguing with her about this. So I let her drag me towards the front door.

 

Xxx

 

I shook my head when I came back to the boys and slumped down next to Luke on the couch.

“So, nothing?” Calum asked, holding his phone up in hope he will get a decent picture of my dance with Lana. I shook my head again. Michael patted my knee sympathetically and turned to Luke.

“That means you lost. Happy cleaning, Ash.” He said and sniggered.

“I would’ve won that bet if it weren’t for her friend. She ruined everything.” I said and finished the cup of beer. Luke played with his lip ring.

“Told ya she was suspicious. Girls stick together, man. They’re really protective of each other.” He said and I grinned stiffly.

“Whatever. Let’s just sleep or something.”

 

Xxx

 

The crowd cleared somewhere around three am. None of us bothered to restock the alcohol supply and we quickly ran out, so naturally as any UNI students would – they all went in search of another party that that had the things they needed to lose themselves before the summer break officially starts. Michael and Calum retreated in their respective rooms and left me and Luke for the clean-up duty.

“Luke, go to sleep. I’ve got this.” I said and put empty vodka bottles in the garbage bag. “It’s me who lost a bet, remember?” Luke took another garbage bag from the pile where they were pushed back in the kitchen.

“Shut up. You can’t do this all by yourself.” Luke responded and picked up several crushed plastic cups. I put the full garbage bag next to the front door.

“Thanks, Luke.”

“Don’t mention it.” He grinned at me. We were working slowly on clearing the first floor of the house the boys and I were staying in during our year in the UNI. The owner will kill us if he sees this mess. I was just about to swipe the messy counter top when a figure opened the door into the kitchen.

“Ivy?” a female voice called. Luke and I turned around at the same time and I recognised Lana. She was wiping her eyes as if she just woke up. Didn’t she leave with her friend two hours ago? What is she doing here still?

“Can we help you?” Luke asked before my brain caught up with my mouth. Lana looked between us and at the garbage bags placed next to the door.

“I’m looking for my friend. We fell asleep in one of the rooms upstairs and…”she looked at me and scratched her palm. “Ashton, right?” I nodded and put down the wet mop I was holding. “Do you remember her? She’s like this tall and…”she motioned with her hand and I interrupted her.

“Yeah, I remember her.” I said and bit my lip. “But no, I didn’t see her. Not since you two supposedly left.” Lana nodded.

“Yeah, sorry about that. She is…very weird when it comes to boys. Especially on parties. She thinks they’re all predators with one thing on their mind.” she said and fixed the stray strand of hair that tickled her cheek. I chuckled nervously.

“I just wanted to dance, really. No impure thoughts.” I supplied. “Had a really though week actually. Just wanted to have some fun.” Lana nodded in agreement.

“I know what you mean. But hey, maybe next time.”

I nodded and smiled. Then Luke cleared his throat.

“I’m here too, guys.” He said and I hit him on the forearm. Lana giggled.

“Well, I’m gonna go search for Ivy. Good luck with the cleaning, boys. See you around.” She said and walked out, the sound of her boots clacking slowly disappeared in the hallway. I picked up my mop again and Luke poked me in the side.

“Dude, what are you doing here? Go help her find her friend.” He said and motioned with his head towards the kitchen door.

“Luke…what…” I mumbled and dropped the mop.

“Goddammit, Ashton. Make your move already. This is fucking destiny right here.” Luke said and pushed me towards the door.

“Not really, Lucas. Just few coincidences that happened together.” I replied and Luke grunted.

“Yeah, just…whatever. Will you help the poor girl?”

I sighed and went after Lana. I caught her roaming around the living room, helplessly calling after her friend. She took a deep breath and sat on the same couch the boys and I were stranded most of the night. When she noticed my presence her eyes widened for a second and she smiled after.

“Hey.” I said stupidly. She nodded.

“Hey.”

I stood in the middle of the living room with my hands buried in the pockets of my jeans and looked everywhere trying to find a piece of something to start a conversation. The room was filled with furniture and trash not words or advice on how to talk to girls which wasn’t very helpful.

“So…” I rubbed the back of my neck. “When was the last time you saw your friend?”

“Around after we fell asleep. It was two in the morning I think?” she said and I sat next to her.

“But I saw you going out; did you come back in again?” I asked. It was really a stupid question, but all sense I had for normal conversation seemed to disappear. She smiled at me sweetly.

“All buses were gone and my phone died so we couldn’t call a taxi. We thought to wait here for the early buses and we kind of fell asleep.” she explained. “You’re helping your friend to clean the house?”

I nodded. “Well, actually…I lost a bet so that was my punishment.” I said. She looked at me confusedly.

“Won’t your roommates be worried if you stay behind?”

“I live here. The boy you saw was my roommate Luke. And the guy with bright pink hair and the human sun with the affinity for nakedness. Michael and Calum?” I answered and she covered her mouth with her palm.

“I am so sorry! Ivy and I just randomly got in one of your rooms and…oh my god. I swear I don’t usually do this. I’m so sor-“

“Hey, it’s okay. It’s not like you broke in and robbed us. It was a party, people come and go. It’s okay.” I assured her. She still smiled nervously and looked down. “I- You know, I really wanted to dance with you.” I admitted. She blushed and put her hair behind her ear.

“Yeah? I mean, why? There were probably ten different girls at the party who didn’t have a cockblocking best friend.” She said and I chuckled.

“Probably. But I liked your shirt. And you were dancing to Paradise so…no real brainer there.” I moved a bit closer to her, picking a hat from the floor as an excuse to sit closer. I put the hat on her head and smiled. “Cute.” She blushed and put the hat on my head.

“You’re okay, I guess.” she said and I pouted. She pushed the brim a bit up. “There. So I can see your eyes better.”

Now it was my turn to blush.

 

Xxx

 

I talked to Ashton for a while. Found out he’s majoring in Music at the same UNI as me, is in an actual band, plays drums and piano, and is originally from Sydney.

“It must be tough. You know, being away from your family? Your girlfriend?” I asked him, not so subtly dropping the extra question. He noticed this (of course he noticed) and smiled widely.

“I don’t have a girlfriend.” He answered. I bit my lip and looked away, smiling to myself.

“Ok.”

“Ok.” He said and chuckled. Then we heard a scream from upstairs, followed by another scream. Ashton quickly got up and ran towards the hallway and up the stairs on the upper floor. I was following him because I recognised one of the screams. A blond head was moving in front of us and we followed Luke to the hallway on the upper floor. Then we stood there for few seconds, trying to figure out from where the screams came.

“The first scream was female.” Luke said, eyeing the four doors in front of us.

“The second was female too.” Ashton added and looked suspiciously at the left door closest to us. His arm was wrapped protectively around my waist and I was fully aware of the height difference and his smell. His cologne was wearing off a little but it was still strong from up-close. In that moment I completely forgot what were we doing in the hallway. “You okay?” he asked me quietly. I noticed our faces were very close to each other and I could see the beautiful shade of his irises. I almost thanked Ivy for screaming so it led to this. Right. Ivy. Goddamit, where is she?

“I am so sorry!” A voice was heard from the far right room and then Ivy jumped out with a frightened look on her face. “Lana?” she called out. Luke rushed towards her and peeked inside the room. Michael was walking around wearing only his plaid shirt with equally frightened look on his face.

“I’m so sorry. I must have mixed up the rooms and went in the wrong one after I got up for a glass of water. God! What time is it?”

“Ivy! Ivy!” I called, coming towards her and Ivy let out a breath of relief.

“You’re here! I was scared you left me here alone. I-I was just going to get water and I missed the door and when I woke up someone lied down next to me… and and I thought it was you but then…he was naked! And…” Ivy was babbling and looking around at everything and I put my arms on her shoulders.

“Ivy, hey! It’s okay!” I laughed then. It was too funny. I heard Ashton’s bright laugh right behind me and Luke telling Michael to put on some pants. “We’re gonna go now, ok?” I told her and she nodded. I turned to Ashton and gave him a small smile. He followed us down and Luke stayed with Mike.

Ashton called us a taxi so we wouldn’t have to wait till morning for the bus. Ivy was still looking a bit frightened and traumatised by the whole event so I sat her down on the front steps and talked with Ashton until the taxi came.

“She’s gonna be ok, right?” Ashton asked, looking at Ivy who was sighing to herself, leaned on her own knees drawn to her chest.

“Yeah, just…she’s probably freaked out because she saw a penis for the first time. And a stranger was trying to get in her bed. Well, not her bed but while she was sleeping.” I explained and Ashton’s brows furrowed more the more words came out of my mouth. “As I said…she is really weird.”

“Well, you seem ok. Not really shaken up by seeing Michael’s…uhm…private parts?” he said and I laughed.

“Nah. Not really, why? It’s the same with every boy, isn’t it?”

“It isn’t. It’s more like…I don’t know. Like how every boob is different, I suppose? It’s with guy parts too.” He said.

“Bit jealous, are ya?” I teased him. He shook his head but then smiled.

“Well, Michael didn’t talk to you for one minute and you’ve already seen more of him than you probably ever wanted to see. I’d at least take you out on a date before all those shenanigans happened.” He said and when he realised what he asked, a slight shade of pink appeared on his cheeks. I giggled nervously.

“Would you? Maybe this Saturday?” I offered and he relaxed more.

“Yeah. Just give me your number.” He said and I handed him the device.

 

Taxi arrived in less than fifteen minutes and when I put Ivy in the car, I turned again to Ashton.

“See you soon?” I asked and he nodded. I pulled him down by grabbing the front of his T-shirt and kissed his cheek. He was startled but then relaxed and smiled when I pulled back. I nodded and sat next to Ivy in the back seat. I was waving to him while the car was driving away but he didn’t see me in the darkness of the car.

“This turned out to be a fantastic night, right babe?” I asked when we disappeared around the corner.

“I just saw a teenage boy’s penis. I don’t fucking care if you got a date with that bandana boy. I’m still traumatised.” She said and looked through the window into the night.

“For a straight girl you seem very offended and freaked out by male parts.” I noted and Ivy hit me lightly on the shoulder.

“Shut up.”

 

We got to our dorm quickly and Ivy disappeared in the common bathroom. I was greeted by a text message when I plugged my phone into a charger. It was from an unknown number.

_Looking forward to Saturday._ _J_ _wear your Joy Division shirt so we can match. -Ashton_

I smiled at the text and typed my response.

**Author's Note:**

> the title was taken from a long lost love of mine - Wake Me Up by Norah Jones (because I like telling people I listen to Norah Jones) (can you feel the pretentiousness?) 
> 
> hit me up on tumblr: justmefeelingtherain


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